Every computer platform needs a "killer app," so they say. In case
you're not familiar with the term, a "killer app" is an application
that is so compelling that people will buy the computer just to run that program.
For the original IBM PC it was Lotus 123, for the Macintosh, Pagemaker.

But wither the Palm/Pilot? There are several applications that might qualify
(AvantGo comes to mind) but none of them have found the ubiquitous acceptance
that 123 or Pagemaker had. Well, I think I've found the program that will be
the killer app for Palm computers: Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf.

Hear me out. The Palm platform was designed for busy business people who needed
to have an easy way to keep notes, contacts, and schedule information at hand.
What do those folks have in common? They play golf! I know because I work with
such people and when the topic turns to golf I have to smile lamely and admit
that I don't play the game. Worse yet, since my surname is Duncan and the Scots
invented the game it's almost as if I'm offending my ancestors by opting out
of the sport. Well, no longer. Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf is simply one of the
coolest things ever released for the Palm platform.

If
you've played the Windows version of Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf (or Links or
Microsoft GOLF) you'll be right at home with this scaled down implementation.
Electronic Arts has produced a grayscale version that remains remarkably true
to its full color multimedia predecessor. And for someone like myself, who really
could care less about golf, it's also remarkable in that it's a very playable
and entertaining game.

Some time back, in my review of Triv, I bemoaned the fact that there are few
good games for the PalmOS that can be played by two or more people at a time.
Tiger (as we've come to call it at the office) is not only a good solo game
but a great two-, three-, or four-player game, which is important because a
part of the appeal of golf is in the fellowship of playing, strolling in a park-like
setting, and talking. It's one of the few male bonding rituals that doesn't
involve pizza and beer.

I'm rather picky about what games I believe "work" on the PalmOS
platform, so perhaps now would be a good time to define Duncan's Rules for Good
Palm/Pilot Games:

Rule
#1

Games must be playable in brief periods of time, either through
short games or turn-based play.

Rule
#2

Games must be appropriate to the Palm/Pilot display limitations.

Rule
#3

Games must be difficult enough to inspire a challenge but
offer some satisfaction in the play even when the computer (or other opponent)
wins.

So
how does Tiger hold up this standard? Well, like real golf, it's turn-based;
but unlike the real game it allows you to leave a round in progress to actually
use your Palm/Pilot for work or attend a meeting and then return four strokes
into a par 5 without losing your place. It makes amazing use of the limited
grayscale abilities of the Palm/Pilot's 160 pixel by 160 pixel screen. The graphics,
while not quite photo-realistic, are better than I expected and more than enough
for the game to be visually appealing. And finally, the game has enough variables
to present a challenge each time you play. Among the variables are eight different
players, including Tiger, Mark O'Meara, and Tom Kite. You can add the names
of two duffers (yours for example) and choose from three different 18-hole courses.

One feature that I find amusing is the wind gauge. It's a small arrow that
indicates the direction of the breeze and its speed. During play it's not uncommon
for the wind to change direction and gust enough to send your ball somewhere
entirely other than its intended target. You'll find driving into an 18 mph
wind a fair challenge when the green is a narrow strip of grass and the pin
is 400 yards upwind.

So
how does it actually play? Visually, it's much more interesting than you might
think. You are initially presented with an overhead view of the course. You
can slide the viewpoint using the stylus. When you choose a point, indicated
by a small plus sign, and tap the "swing" button the display changes
to an image of a golfer swinging a club. It may be my imagination but it seems
like the speed of the animation changes to match the speed of the swing. After
the ball is aloft the view switches back to overhead so that you can follow
the path of the ball's flight. I was surprised to see that as the ball returned
to earth its shadow was clearly visible on the ground and tracking its flight!
Good magicians create illusion by knowing what small detail of real life must
appear for an illusion to be believable. The magicians who created Tiger Woods
PGA Tour Golf understand that fact. You'll be amazed at how much visceral impact
seeing that shadow meet the ball as it returns to earth has as you play. There
is a palpable sense of impact. Put more simply . . . it really helps you get
into the game.

Once you are in on the green, a small magnifying glass icon appears in the
lower right corner of the screen. Tapping the icon allows you to zoom down to
get a closer look and set your target more precisely. Once the hole is played
a score card appears showing your current rating compared to par. Take a few
minutes to read the small user's guide and study the interface. The status line
manages to provide controls to switch clubs, monitor the wind, track distance
in the air and on the bounce, and more . . . it's quite impressive what has
been done on such a small screen. And speaking of the screen . . . we've previewed
the program on the PalmPilot Professional, Palm III, and Palm V. Image quality
is very good on all models.

There are some small omissions. You can't save one game and start another.
This would be nice because it would allow you to start a round with a friend
during lunch and continue it on the following day while still being able to
practice on your train ride home. And it would be nice to have an instant replay
option so that you could show someone you are playing with what just occurred.
Neither wish in any way diminishes the enjoyment of the game . . . and if you
don't find something you'd like to see added to a game it really hasn't taken
hold of you anyway.

The day I received my review copy of Tiger an opportunity to "road test"
it occurred. A group of co-workers and I were being treated to dinner at a lodge
across Puget Sound from our Seattle-area workplace. The boat ride to the island
takes nearly an hour and a half. During that trip my friend Randy offered to
assist me in my testing. Since he actually plays golf I thought it would be
helpful to get his opinion.

We
played two rounds of eighteen holes, one on the way to the island and one on
the return trip. On the first round we were both more than 20 over par as we
learned how to handle the controls, judge the wind, and deal with the rocking
of the waves. On the return trip we did much better. It doesn't take long to
learn the game but I suspect it will take quite a while to master. During the
trip, with the sights of Puget Sound substituting for the links at Las Vegas'
Badlands golf club, we managed to drain my fully-charged Palm V down to the
"hot sync now" alert. You'll get a solid three hours of two-player
fun and still have enough battery power left to backup your data. And when you
get that birdie on the seventh hole at Badlands you may find yourself saying,
as Randy did, "I am Tiger Woods!"

Ratings Defense
Not hard to defend a five Geekhead rating for Geekness . . . if you're a computer
game geek you'll be impressed with how much has been fit into 250 KB. And if
you're a golf geek, well it's all over.

For Quality, also five Geekheads. It's the first game to really push the envelope
on the Palm/Pilot and it does so with style.

Not surprisingly, Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf earns a place on the UGeek
Picks list.